Season 11
America's Got Talent returns with Got Talent creator and executive producer Simon Cowell joining the judges' panel alongside Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel. Howard Stern's stint as a judge comes to an end.
Nick Cannon is back as host, and the series returns to Los Angeles this summer, with live shows broadcast from the famed Dolby Theatre.
With the search open to acts of all ages and talents, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing unique performers from across the country.
The series is a celebration of creativity and talent, featuring a colourful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
Last season concluded with a star-studded performance at Radio City Music Hall with contestant Paul Zerdin taking home the grand prize by winning over viewers with his inventive and unique take on ventriloquism, using comedic characters and personalities to outshine thousands of acts.
In 2014, for the first time, America chose a magician as their winner with Rhode Island native Mat Franco, who went on to headline the America's Got Talent Live stage show, as well as the Magic Reinvented Nightly stage show - both held in Las Vegas. Franco also starred in the Mat Franco's Got Magic special that aired on NBC and featured appearances by Neil Patrick Harris, Heidi Klum, Rob Gronkowski, Jason Mraz, Penn & Teller and others.
Past AGT highlights include Season 7 winner Olate Dogs in 2012. Led by Richard Olate and his son Nicholas, this high-energy, fast-paced dog act was an audience favourite filled with unbelievable pet tricks.
In 2011, sentimental favourite and West Virginia native Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. beat out thousands of acts to take home the coveted $1-million grand prize.
Prior to that, Mississippi-born soul singer Michael Grimm was crowned the winner of Season 5, which also brought national attention to 10-year-old classical singer and phenom Jackie Evancho, who has gone on to release several best-selling albums.
In that same season, the show also discovered Lindsey Stirling, a hip-hop violinist. She has since gone on to release two albums, with her second album, Shatter Me, selling 56,000 copies in its first week and reaching the No. 2 position on the Billboard 200.
The second season of America's Got Talent introduced audiences to Terry Fator, a ventriloquist, singer and comedian from Dallas who has had a headlining show in Las Vegas since 2007 and currently performs at the Mirage Hotel.
America's Got Talent is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Syco Entertainment. Simon Cowell, Sam Donnelly, Jason Raff, Trish Kinane and Richard Wallace are the executive producers.
Broadcast Notes
Season 11 aired on M-Net on weekdays at 18h30, except for the first four Mondays (22 / 29 August and 5 / 12 September, 2016) - on those days there were double bills, from 18h30 - 20h30. Thereafter new episodes broadcast on weekdays at 18h30.